


Working on the Railroad

by ShayneyL



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western (sort of), Gen, Historical, History, Holodecks/Holosuites, Prompt Fic, References To Historical Racism, Writer's Month 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25944109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL
Summary: As if earning half the pay of white workers wasn't bad enough.  Harry Kim also has to put up with Tom Paris, who doesn't think Chinese are capable of the work.
Relationships: Harry Kim & Tom Paris
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Writer's Month 2020





	Working on the Railroad

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month 2020, Day 16. The prompt is "history."
> 
> Inspired by Garrett Wang's role in _Into the West_.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"We have to work with _them_?" The tall yellow-haired man was staring at Harry and the other Chinese workers with disgust. "They're too small and weak to handle it."

"Shut up, Paris," the supervisor said. "It's them or nothing."

The railroad work was brutally hard, and very dangerous. It was difficult to find men willing to do it. Chinese immigrants didn't have a lot of options, though, so here he was, doing backbreaking labor for half the wages jerks like Paris got.

Today they were blasting a ledge for the railroad along a cliff face. That meant a row of men rappelling down from the top of the cliff, chiseling holes in the rock, and filling them with gunpowder. At the signal, they would each light a fuse, then climb back up as quickly as possible. Anyone who took too long would get caught in the blast.

He ended up next to Paris. Just his luck. "Race ya," the man said.

Harry ignored him. This work was hazardous enough without rushing. When Paris zipped past him down the cliff, Harry kept his slow and steady pace. Dangling two hundred feet above the ground was more than enough excitement for him.

It took awhile to chisel the holes. "You're lagging, Chinaman," Paris called. "I knew you were too weak for this work." He was done already, and was holding a fuse and a match, waiting for the signal.

Harry refused to be hurried. He was keeping pace with most of the other workers, and no one would light their fuse until they all did.

Or so he hoped. Paris seemed just wild enough to do something really, really stupid. He cast a covert glance to his left, where the man was now bouncing and swinging slightly from his rope, apparently bored.

Harry shook his head, and kept working. He was done by the time the call came. "Ready…mark!" He struck a match and lit his fuse, then began climbing as fast as he could.

Then there was a yell. He looked toward it, and saw Paris skidding down the rock face. Something had gone wrong with his rope. Poorly tied knot? Worn through because of his swinging around? Just bad luck? Harry didn't know, but Paris was in trouble.

"Help! Someone help me!" He hadn't fallen all the way down, but he was tangled in his ropes and couldn't climb up.

Harry was tempted to reply, "Sorry, I'm too weak." But it looked like if it wasn't him, it would be no one. The man on Paris' other side wasn't even looking back. Harry adjusted his ropes to lower himself back down.

Paris had given up on any kind of help, and was leaning down, trying put out the fuse he'd lit. It was just out of his grasp.

"Give me your hand!" Harry yelled. Paris looked at him, startled. "Now!"

Paris gave up on the fuse, and stretched toward Harry. He couldn't quite reach, so Harry climbed down some more, until he could grab Paris' hand. He pulled him close. "Hold on to me."

If he had time, he'd tie the other man to him, but he didn't have time. With Paris' arms wrapped around him, he began climbing as fast as he could. Paris tried to help, pushing his feet against the cliff, but it was mostly Harry's strength that pulled them up the cliff. He reached a narrow, natural ledge and decided to make a stand there. He wasn't sure how much longer Paris could hold on. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, and waited.

The whole cliff shuddered as the explosions began. Harry feared the ledge and the ropes would give out. Thankfully, they didn't.

As the dust settled, loud cheers rang from below. People watching were celebrating the successful blast. Harry realized he'd closed his eyes. He opened them, and found himself staring into Paris' eyes. They were an odd color — blue.

"Thank you," Paris said. "I was wrong. You're not weak. And I've never been so happy to be wrong." He smiled, and Harry found himself smiling back.

"Computer, end program." It was Tuvok's voice.

The cliff faded away, replaced by the holodeck grid. They were still tightly embracing. Tuvok raised his eyebrow as they hastily disengaged.

"Once again, you have exceeded your scheduled holodeck time."

"Sorry, Commander," Harry said.

"We were actually training," Tom said. "Practicing rock climbing."

"Holonovels do not count as training. You will be expected at your usual physical training sessions."

"Well, it was worth a shot," Tom muttered. They left Tuvok to run his tactical simulations, and went to the mess hall for a snack.


End file.
